"A Gift For Glo" by Barbara J Wickham

One particularly fine morning Glo, a curious Glowfly, decided to fly beyond the clouds to see what was there. She fluttered through the entire day to reach her goal and when she finally emerged from the top of the clouds she beheld a wondrous sight. Reclining in the embrace of a pillow-soft cloud was a shimmering angel, lost in thought while gazing at the setting sun. Glo excitedly zig-zagged over to meet her.

"Hello! May I rest on your cloud to watch the sun set?", Glo asked as she gently glided down before the angel's iridescent face.

The angel smiled wide and exclaimed brightly, "Of course!" Then her delicate brows wrinkled with concern. "You are a long way from the meadows, little one. How is it you are here?"

Glo twittered her wings happily and replied, "I have never felt the dew of the clouds on my wings like the brave falcon. Since my little life is so short I wanted to do this one thing before my spirit-wings go to rest in the stars."

The angel smiled sadly and extended her hand for Glo to land upon. "Well, courageous one, you have accomplished your dream, but it is fast getting dark. Should you not soon return? The night is full of hungry mouths for one of your size!"

With a mischievous flip, Glo launched herself above the angel's golden head and burst forth with a glorious light, like miniature rainbows radiating outward from her gossamer wings.

"Dearest friend, I know that I must perish someday, so if my death comes to seek me out I will only shine all the brighter in the face of it!", Glo proclaimed boldly before settling into a peaceful hover.

The angel became very thoughtful and her luminous eyes swelled with determination. She suddenly planted her toes into the clouds and stood. "Witnessing such bravery I am forced to admit that I have let fear keep me from the one joy I have always wanted to experience."

The angel swept her hand in a wide, graceful arc and the clouds parted to reveal the last rays of the sun illuminating the meadow grasses, as if each blade were a tiny candle. Kneeling on the edge of the billowy precipice, the angel smiled in embarrassment and said, "I have always wanted to feel the dew of the grass on my bare feet, but was too ashamed that it would seem unbecoming for a sky-born angel to do this."

The angel sighed deeply, "Thank you, my special friend. For in hearing your simple honesty I now feel no shame in finally savoring this precious pleasure."

Glo swooped forward in a playful bow. "A mist from the lake forms a very fine dew at sunset. I think now would be a perfect time to follow your dream.", laughed the Glowfly. She watched as the angel stretched her magnificent wings and dove into the wind, banking gracefully around and up to wave cheerfully at Glo.

"I will be forever grateful, little spirit and for an angel forever is truly a horizon always gazed upon, but never crossed." With a final sweep of glistening feathers the angel glided in a gentle spiral towards the misty meadow.

Glo leaped in an enthusiastic twirl then surged off towards the distant towering clouds, bounding in ecstatic loop-the-loops, the horizon beckoning her onward.

The angel gave one final gaze towards the departing Glowfly. Against the deepening night Glo's wings resembled a joyful star, dancing amongst the velvet fields of the newborn evening sky.

The angel silently uttered a prayer. "My gift to you, gentle Glo is this small blessing... May your spirit, however small, continue to shine evermore!"